October Favorites

Well, here we are. Another month has passed and I’m here to share some of the things I have been absolutely loving these past few weeks.

This past month has been a great one. October always is. It’s one of my favorite months of the year.

It’s when autumn goes into full swing, with all the fall activities of hayrides, pumpkin picking, and apple cider donuts. There’s mild days and crisp evenings, the changing colors of the leaves, and the impending excitement of Halloween.

Personally, I’m not a big Halloween person. I haven’t been since I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong, I have the fondest memories EVER of traipsing around our neighborhood with my sisters and mom (my dad always stayed behind to hand out the candy – it is his FAVORITE thing ever. Even to this day. One of his biggest highlights is handing out the candy to the kids. So cute), decked out in our costumes, holding our plastic pumpkins out with hope, and dumping out all the booty at the end of the night and sorting things into candy piles (see? I was type A even back then). Childhood Halloween was the BEST.

But as an adult? I’m a total Halloween curmudgeon. It’s always a very busy season for us, and I think the idea of coming up with a good costume stresses me out too much. That said, I have ALWAYS wanted to host a massive Halloween party, bursting with creepy touches. Maybe someday.

Anywho. This month was a fun one! We had a trip to London, which was both awesome and nerve-racking for me (I had never flown while 5 months preggo before). We had the best time seeing much of what London had to offer. I definitely want to to go back and see more. Oh, and the Eagles win was a sweet touch. I wonder if we would have left with the same glowing reviews had they lost? Well, we’ll never know!

Here are some other things I have been obsessing over this past month. There’s some good stuff, guys. Good stuff.

The Nest chai pumpkin candle. Um, OK, so I am not a pumpkin enthusiast like most people this time of year. THIS CANDLE, though! OMG. It’s perfect. The thing I love about it is that it has that classic warming spiced scent, but it isn’t at all overwhelming or overly perfumed. I think spiced candles can be rather suffocating, and this one isn’t! It makes the house smell so GOOD. Just cozy and lovely! I stocked up on two of these (yes, they are pricey) so I can enjoy them for the next few weeks. Also: another bonus is that they don’t seem to evaporate as quickly as other candles I’ve used. So yes, they cost a pretty penny, but I think they’ll last a LONG time.

Speaking of pumpkin stuff, I’ll get this next one out of the way: Dunkin Donuts pumpkin coffee. It is, in my opinion, far superior to any other pumpkin-flavored coffee drink I’ve had. Because I find coffee syrups to be overly sweet and kind of cloyingly over flavored, I get this coffee with only ONE pump of the pumpkin syrup and with a little bit of whole milk. The result is heaven! Slightly spiced, slightly sweet coffee that doesn’t taste like cinnamon potpourri. You have to try it.

These KIND Toasted Caramel Nut Protein Bars. I have been a big fan of KIND bars for years now, but these in particular are rocking my world right now. I struggle to get enough protein in my diet all the time, and when I’m pregnant, I’m even more in tune with this problem. So, I’ve been stocking up on snacks like this. It’s the perfect quick breakfast if I’m running out the door, or as a mid-afternoon snack. The flavor is great and I can feel good about the nutrition I’m getting (and the baby is getting!).

This scarf. I found it on Amazon a few weeks ago. I wanted to get something for London, since it tends to be about 10 degrees cooler than here this time of year, and boy am I glad that I got this one! First, the price is hard to beat. Second, it’s so pretty! And WARM! I wore this when we were touring around London all day long, and I stayed so warm and cozy all day. It also works great as a wrap! I love it.

This Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel moisturizer has been SAVING my skin as of late. With the drop in temperature, and the initiation of the winter dry heat, this moisturizer has been a godsend. I use it every day and night, and it works so well with any other facial creams/serums I may also be using. It feels so good and goes on so smooth. It’s creamy and luxurious but without any greasy aftermath. I feel like my skin sucks this stuff up. Walking around very chilly London for hours on end had almost zero effect on my skin, and I swear it was because of this stuff.

Another skincare discovery I’ve been loving the heck out of this is this Ole Henriksen Truth Serum, which is basically a collagen-enhanced vitamin C serum. I love it. I bought it during the Sephora VIB sale a few weeks ago. When I turned 30, my skin almost overnight went from clear/even/toned to being VERY susceptible to the sun. I get hyperpigmentation spots like it’s MY JOB in the summer. I wear a minimum of SPF 30 on my face at all times, and even that couldn’t stop my skin from changing color. I also have extremely sensitive skin, so a lot of serums like this irritate me or make the problem worse. This one is the first of MANY that I have truly loved. It goes on a like a dream, smells like a creamsicle (no, really), and seems to be helping with my aging skin spots. It’s the first vitamin C treatment that I feel has really worked.

Netflix’s Making a Murderer, season 2. OMG. This show. The first season was so captivating, so interested, and definitely made me question so many things. Are you watching this season?! What do you think? I know it’s a biased version of the events, but man, do they do a good job of convincing me.

Febreeze Twisted Cranberry Plugs. OK, so guys, I have been obsessed with this scent for about 10 years now. Thanks to Western world commercialism, these holiday seasonal scents are already available. And it’s the one time I don’t really complain about Christmas being shoved down our throats in October. I love the lightness of this scent and how it adds just a touch of fragrance to a room. I’m a big fan of cranberry, berry, citrusy type scents, and this one fits the bill! I stock up on these every year to get us through the whole year (I love the air freshener spray as well in this scent). It works year round! I buy mine at Target!

This cross-back sweater has been one of my most-worn pieces so far this fall. I love how cozy and soft it is, and since I’m accommodating a growing baby belly, the open-back feature gives me some wiggle room that I need/love. I can wear it with jeans or leggings as long as I have a longer tank top on underneath. It also feels like a very well-made sweater that will last for years to come. I have it in the gray color.

A favorite item from past years has made a recent return in the chilly evenings: my Uggs slippers. I have these, and I am obsessed. I wear them around the house all the time. So cozy, so warm, and super comfy. They are the most perfect Christmas gift for just about anyone in your life. Should I get Kieran a pair or is that ridiculous?!

Jessica’s power coffee. OMG, you guys. This recipe has been on repeat these past couple weeks. It is so rich and delicious, but also kind of good for you, so I don’t mind the extra calories in my morning coffee. I usually try to avoid drinking my calories because I’d much rather EAT them, but this has been my morning exception. So yummy!

November is going to be another whirlwind month! This time of year is always so busy for us. I travel to Chicago for work in a couple weeks, and we’re also hosting Thanksgiving this year. I have a slew of amazing recipes to test/hopefully share with you guys in the coming weeks, AND as soon as Thanksgiving hits, IT IS ON. Christmas will be in full swing! In all honesty, it may happen a touch before Thanksgiving this year. I want this time of year to last as long as possible, especially since I have a small child. Making these memories with him has been the sweetest part of parenthood. It always flies by, and with this baby on the way in February, I know these next couple months are going to go by in a BLINK. My goal is to soak up every second!